IF YOU CAN'T WIN THEIR VOTES, KILL THEM:

[D]rexel University epidemiology and biostatistics professor Usama Bilal told the station that the lack of federal funding will hit the state's poor the most.

"Any time a reduction in accessibility in a health resource happens, it is the most vulnerable populations that suffer," Bilal continued. "People with access to more resources (wealthier, more educated, etc.) tend to have the ability to access those resources through other means (in this case, private testing through referral from the doctor they usually see). Low-income people tend to access health care much more often through urgent care (which isn't being used that much these days in cities like Philadelphia, for fear of the epidemic)."

Valerie Arkoosh, chair of Montgomery County Commissioners office, one of the hardest-hit counties in Philadelphia's suburbs where 1,294 have tested positive and 19 have died, expressed concern in a statement because of the expected surge of cases. "While I'm grateful to have had federal and state support for our successful community-based testing site, I am understandably disappointed that the supplies and the federal contract for lab testing are ending just as we are heading into the surge here in southeastern Pennsylvania," Arkoosh said.

According to CNN, Vice President Mike Pence has been touting public-private partnerships that have "laid the foundation," to fill some of the gaps left behind without federal funds, like drive-thru coronavirus testing sites. But so far only five locations from major retailers are currently offering drive-thru testing. And none are open to the general public.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden reacted in astonishment to the story late Thursday, writing on Twitter, "I can't believe I have to say this, but we should be expanding the number of testing sites and surging the number of tests -- not reducing them. Testing is key to finding a way out of this crisis."

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